Fkank b



(No Model.)

15. B. WEEKS. SUPPORT FOR WIRE. FENCES.

Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. IVEEKS, OF COLUMBIA, TEXAS.

SUPPORT FOR WIRE FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,492, dated February 23, 1892.

Serial No. 407,388. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. \VEEKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at 00111 mbia, in the county of Brazoria and State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Supports for IVire Fences; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a support or post for wire fences adapted to be used either with or without wooden posts, which will receive the wires of the fence readily and will hold them securely in place and lock them against downward strain by means of eyes and loops formed from the wire of the supports themselves and without supplemental parts or fastening devices of any kind. With these ends in view I have devised the simple and novel continuous-strip wirefence support of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, numbers being used to denote the several parts.

Figure 1 is a view showing my novel support as manufactured in the form of a continuous strip, the users purchasing in bulk and cutting the individual supports or posts to any required length; Fig. 2, an elevation illustrating my novel supports in use, the locking-loops being shown as turned upward; Fig. 3, a similar view of a single support, the locking-loops being shown as turned downward; Fig. 4, aside elevation of a single support before the fence-wires are placed in position and the locking-loops closed together to lock them in place. Figs 5, 6, and 7 are detailviews illus trating the manner in which the fence-wire is placed in the eye; and Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation showing the locking loop corresponding with Fig. 2, the locking-loop being turned upward.

1 denotes the fence-wires, and 2 my novel supports or posts, the essential features of which are an eye 3 and a locking-loop 4. It will of course be apparent that the exact shape to which the eyes and holding-loops are bent is not of the essence of my invention, as it is obvious that they can be greatly varied without departing from the principle thereof. The essential features are that the eyes and locking-loops are so formed as to permit the supports to be made in a continuous strip, and, furthermore, that they are so formed as to permit the fence-wire to be inserted after the supports are in place and to be securely locked therein withoutanysupplemental parts or fastening devices.

The forms illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 are precisely the same, except that the supports after being cut from the strip are shown as used with opposite ends up in the two figures, and in both figures thelocking-loops are shown as curved about a portion of the wire of the support to form a still stronger lock for the fence wire. Starting from the bottom, for example, as in Fig. 4, the wire is bent obliquely toward the left, as at 5, then curved over inward, as at 6, then carried downward, as at 7, then curved inward again, as at 8, and then continued upward approximately parallel with part 7, as at 9. In forming the supports parts 5 and 7 are sprung away from each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, so as to permit the fence-wire to be moved up into the eye, said fence-wire passing in the upward movement between the locking-loop and oblique part 5 and then into the eye,the support being turned as much as may be necessary to permit the fence-wire to slip into the eye. The lockingloop is then, by means of a plier or other suitable tool, sprung inward closely against oblique part 5, thereby locking the fence-wire firmly in position. It will of course be apparent that the strain upon the fen ce-wire in use is downward. This in practice is wholly overcome by closing the locking-loop against the oblique portion. If preferred, however, in order to give additional strength the lockingloop may be curved about said oblique portion, either under it, as in Fig. 2, or over it, as in Fig. 3. In either case it is impossible for the eye to be forced open and the fence-wire to be removed therefrom. In practice the operator cuts the supports of any required length, ordinarily cutting close to the eye that is to be at the top, so as to leave a portion 10 at the bottom of each support,which is adapted to enter the ground, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thereby giving additional stability to the fence.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim-=- 1. A support for wire fences, made from a continuous strip of wire, said strip being at suitable intervals bent obliquely, then curved over inward, then downward, and then curved upward again approximately parallel with the downward portion, whereby an eye is formed which is adapted to receive a fence-wire, and a locking-loop which is adapted to be forced against the oblique portion to lock the fencewlre in position against downward strain in use.

2. A support for wire fences, made from a continuous strip of wire, said strip being at suitable intervals bent obliquely, then curved over inward, then downward, and then curved 5 upward again approximately parallel with the downward portion, whereby an eye is formed which is adapted to receive a fence-wire, and a locking-loop which is adapted to be forced against and then curved about said oblique 2o portion, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. WEEKS.

Witnesses:

A. M. WOOSTER, EDITH G. ELY. 

